//------------------------------// // Convincing King Aspen // Story: Star Knight and the Nine-Tailed Fox // by Rakoon1 //------------------------------// Star and Hawthorn had already passed the frontier between the Enchanted Forest and the Pony World and now were heading towards Equestria, where the war was happening. It was then that Star felt something. Noticing that, Hawthorn asked: “What’s wrong?” The young alicorn prince could feel the anxiety, the fear and the suspicion flying over the Alliance regarding the fact that Petal Sprout’s clones were infiltrating and killing members of the Alliance. “What’s going on?” he asked. “There’s confusion spreading everywhere in the Alliance’s ranks.” It was then that there was a blast of light that made Star stop and land besides Hawthorn who also stopped. Before them, King Aspen and Princess Celestia appeared. “Princess Celestia?!” Star asked. “Brother…” Hawthorn said. “What are you…?” “We’re here to stop you” Aspen declared solemnly. “You can be sure that you will not pass.” That made Star do an intense look. Celestia was impressed for seeing Star covered by Nine-Tails’ energy. She never saw anything like that. Being able to control Nine-Tails’ energy was a fact that she couldn’t help than being impressed. Star was able to do what his mother always did: amaze her in ways she couldn’t even imagine. “Please, brother, listen” Hawthorn pleaded. “You have to let Star go. I can take care of him…” “Enough, silence” Aspen ordered. “We’re fighting to protect you both. If you’re captured…” “The General of Chaos will be able to cast his curse and the world will end” Star completed. “I know that.” “So why are you doing this?” King Aspen asked. “Are you both fouls? From Hawthorn I could expect this, but from you… I thought you were smarter than this, Prince Star Knight.” Star grinned his teeth, thinking about all the chaos he felt at the war, all the pain, all the death… “It’s because of all that” Star replied. “It’s because they are protecting us! I can’t stand they are all dying for me! So what if we manage to win this war? What will be left? It is not just worth it! I don’t want that!” “But it will be better than having all world ending!” Aspen exclaimed. “That’s why everyone is ready to fight to protect you!” “I can’t sit here doing nothing” Star said. “While I’m unharmed, everyone is out there fighting for me! That’s not the kind of pony I am. I just can’t! Besides…” “Enough!” Aspen interrupted. “You two won’t pass!” But that statement wouldn’t stop Star. He would pass, in a way or another. Using the Nine-Tails’ energy to increase his speed, he tried to pass from above. But it was then that Aspen just appeared before him, surrounded by his lightning aura. That caught the young prince by surprise, as he didn’t expected that King Aspen would be able to keep up with him on that mode. With his only horn, Aspen hit him and threw him against the ground, where Star was able to land, but was pushed a few hooves. Aspen landed and, knowing he wouldn’t be able to convince Aspen to let him go, he turned to Celestia, saying: “Princess Celestia, you understand, don’t you? I can stop this war, I know it! Let me go!” But Celestia didn’t say anything. She didn’t know what to say. For an instant, he agreed with King Aspen, that they should keep Star and Hawthorn away from the war so the enemy wasn’t able to capture them. But she also couldn’t ignore Star’s appeal. She did understand him, but it wasn’t like she could access his request just like that. “Please, princess…” Star said. Then Celestia knew what she had to say: “I’m part of the Alliance now, Star Knight. And the orders I’ve been given were to stop you. Even if I’m the ruler of Equestria, I can’t act independently on this matter.” That answer coming from his mother’s mentor really upset Star, but he did understand why she was saying that. “All right, I understand the delicate situation you are in” Star said. “Not just you, but also my mom. So…” he turned to Aspen. “I’ll force my way out!” Deciding to move faster now, he tried to pass again. But when he thought he managed to escape, Aspen appeared again in front of him. They both stopped and then Star said to Aspen: “Bramble wasn’t kidding when he told me you were really fast.” “And he told me you’re determinate” Aspen said. “But I just think you’re just stubborn…” Celestia couldn’t believe how the Nine-Tails’ energy was able to match King Aspen’s speed. “I have to say, there’s only one pony that is faster than me” Aspen said. “Heartbeat, thanks to her swift, is the only one capable of dodge my attacks. But even her and the other Generals fell before the General of Chaos. She was the jinchuriki of Nine-Tails before you and she underestimated his power. Didn’t you learn from her mistakes? You continue to talk about uncertain outcomes, and yet…” “You know what, I advise you to not talk about Heartbeat or any of the other Generals like that” Star said. “They always believed in me and, even if they are not here, I know they would support me.” “Very well, I’ve been patient because you’re my son’s best friend” Aspen said. “And believe me, that’s the main reason why I won’t do what I usually do in a situation like this. If you insist in continuing, I’ll put you out for all the war and imprison you in a dungeon in my castle where not even you will be able to get out!” “What?! No! King Aspen!” Celestia exclaimed, knowing it was too much for the deer king to beat Star as if he was a common thug. “And that’s so I don’t have to kill you” Aspen said. “If I did that, we would have extra time until the Nine-Tails revived. But I know that would cause a rift between the Light Kingdom and Thicket. Your parents wouldn’t forgive me. This is the only action I have to do!” Star charged his horn with magic and Aspen prepare to attack with his horn. “Wait!” Celestia exclaimed. But then Hawthorn appeared between the deer king and the alicorn prince, stopping Aspen’s attack with one of his horns. “Hawthorn, what is this?!” Aspen exclaimed. “If you harm him, then you can also harm me and Eight-Tails” Hawthorn replied. “Better, why don’t you kill me? In that way, you would avoid any conflict and the enemy’s plans would also have a break.” “Lord Hawthorn…” Star said, not wanting to believe he would face his older brother, who was also his king, like that for him. “King Aspen!” Celestia called. “You can’t do arbitrary decisions without the other leaders of the Alliance, mainly Princess Twilight! Don’t forget that Star’s is her son and the jinchuriki of the Light Kingdom. I won’t allow it, Supreme Commander!” “My duty to the Alliance is to ensure victory in this war” Aspen replied to her. “And I’ll do anything to achieve that.” “Then why target the Nine-Tails over the Eight-Tails?” Celestia asked. “Like my brother said, he would be ready to die for the sake of Thicket” Aspen said. “But I can’t allow that. If I have to choose, I would choose Star Knight. But I know that killing him would not only cause problems with the Light Kingdom, but also with my own son. That’s why I will restrain in any way possible, even if I have to break his legs. Now why I would choose him over Hawthorn, the answer is simple. Hawthorn is the jinchuriki who can control the tailed beast power, what makes him our strongest military asset. Now, let go, Hawthorn.” “No way” he replied. “Listen to me, you, jinchuriki, can’t walk around and do what you please” Aspen said. “You belong to your kingdom and its inhabitants. You help maintaining the balance of power in the Enchanted Forest. You must understand your position.” “But when my heart soars like it is doing right now, then that’s something I can’t ignore” Hawthorn replied. “Because with that gone, I’m just another weapon.” Aspen tried to use one of his hoof to help him release his horn, but, seeing that, Hawthorn bump it with his own. With a calmer tone, Aspen asked: “Just tell me why are you defending this colt?” “Don’t you know why?” Hawthorn asked. “With a bump of our hooves, we can hear what’s inside each other’s soul… my brother.” With that, Aspen was able to remind things that happened years ago… Years ago, in Thicket… In the castle, a teenage Aspen was walking around the hallways of the castle when he heard the sound of a headbutt, followed by moanings. He followed them and then got the guards’ training room, where the five-year-old Hawthorn was headbutting a wooden pole where the guards practiced their horn attacks. He approached Hawthorn and, while he was recovering from his last attack, asked: “What are you doing, Hawthorn?” Seeing his older brother, Hawthorn got up and said with a confident and excited look: “I’m training to be as strong as you and dad, big brother, so I can do a double horn blow.” Aspen chuckled and then he remarked: “For that, you still need horns and learn how to use elemental manipulation.” “I know, but it’s just I can’t wait.” That made Aspen to laugh. His little brother always knew how to make him smile. “Me neither” he said, extending his hoof. Hawthorn smiled and bumped his hoof with his brother’s. Since that day, Aspen helped Hawthorn his training, while also training, along with their cousin Larch, who had the same age as Aspen. He had a light brown fur and pale green eyes, having also a purple mark around his right eye. Larch was also the Eight-Tails’ jinchuriki before Hawthorn. During one night, the three of them were camping. While Hawthorn was sleeping, Aspen and Larch were sitting around the fire. “Is he asleep?” Larch asked, looking to Hawthorn. “Yes” Aspen replied, looking also to his little brother. “He looks up to you” Larch commented. “If he continues like that, he may be a great warrior.” “Yes, I agree” Aspen said, with a smile. “I’m lucky to have a brother like him.” There was a pause and then Larch said with a somber look: “He’ll probably be next, the jinchuriki of Eight-Tails after me. You may have heard that was the council’s decision.” That information caught Aspen by surprised, who said: “No, no one told me anything. I can’t believe that my father would allow something like that.” “It’s the way of our kingdom” Larch said. “I have the burden that my dad and my uncle once had. They both failed, and I’m not compatible either. Listen, as your cousin…” “Oh come one, you have been able to keep the Eight-Tails until this point…” “Just listen to me! Only a jinchuriki would understand. Even your closest friends look at you differently after the process. They might believe they are treating you the same, but they’re not really. You can never look back, only toward the future. But that future is filled with darkness and loneliness. If you achieve compatibility, if you walk through life with the shadow of your death, it fills your own mind, day and day out, until you’re so consumed that you don’t know who or what you are. It feels like you have a hole in your heart. And the Tailed Beast waits to pounce on that weak heart and run wild. When you with the constant fear of death, you start wanting to die.” “But, still, you’re strong and have skills, not mention ancestry and virtue” Aspen said. “True, those were the reasons why they chose me to become the next jinchuriki of Eight-Tails” Larch said. “But none of those things are necessary to become a jinchuriki.” “So what is it?” Aspen inquired. They both looked to the sleeping Hawthorn and Larch replied: “Having something to feel that hole in your heart.” “And was it?” Aspen asked. “That something?” “It can be anything” Larch answered. “You will know it when you find it, because it will keep you stronger. So, make sure that Hawthorn finds it.” It was then that the day when Eight-Tails was able to get loose and caused destruction over Thicket, the same event where Blackthorn’s father died. Larch, in the process, have also died. At the memorial of the victims, Aspen had heard a lot of whisperers regarding the last rampage. All deer seemed resentful, wondering for how long they had to keep standing all that and showing skepticism about the next jinchuriki, that would be his brother. After all that, Aspen went to his father to ask him to not turn Hawthorn into a jinchuriki. That happened in the room where the Sealing Urn containing Eight-Tails was being holden. “Please, father, you can’t allow that to happen” Aspen said. “I’m sorry, Aspen, it has been decided and there’s nothing we can do to change that” King Alder replied. “We will seal Eight-Tails inside Hawthorn tonight.” “But Hawthorn is just a little kid” Aspen said. “If you want a jinchuriki, why don’t you use me instead?” “Out of question!” Alder exclaimed. “Your fate is to become the ruler of Thicket and the Enchanted Forest, not becoming a jinchuriki.” Seeing his son’s frustration, Alder put a hoof over his shoulder and then said: “I know how much you love your brother, Aspen, but that doesn’t mean you can’t do anything for him. He will need your help to endure the burden that it is being a jinchuriki.” Before Hawthorn could become jinchuriki, Aspen took him to the Wild Isle so he could make his test in front of the Waterfall of Truth. “Why did you brought me, big bro?” Hawthorn asked. Aspen took a while to replied, remembering the words that Larch had told him. “In a few hours, you will become a jinchuriki. Your life will become very hard.” “Don’t worry about that, brother” Hawthorn said, in a relaxed way. “I had a feeling that could happen. I think I’ll become awesome with tentacles, don’t you think?” It was then that Aspen extended his hoof to him and then Hawthorn smiled and bumped it with his. “Listen up, Hawthorn, always tell me everything, okay? No secrets because your very special to me. You and I are brothers, not only by blood, but also in heart. Don’t forget that. And so the young Hawthorn became the jinchuriki of Eight-Tails and eventually learned how to control his power. In the present… Taking advantage of King Aspen’s distraction, Star realized it was his chance to pass through. He tried to advance, but then Aspen appeared before him again, hitting him with his horn, what caused him to retreat again. “Damn, he’s really fast!” exclaimed Star. “It’s like trying to escape Heartbeat.” But Star wouldn’t give up. He took flight with his speed, but with, his jumping skills, it was like Aspen could also fly. Celestia couldn’t even track them. After stopping Star from advancing, Hawthorn jumped toward him, while Star was pushed to the ground, hitting his older brother with one of his horns. “Do you really think you can defeat me in a horn fight?” Aspen asked to Hawthorn. Using his horn, Asped put Hawthorn away with strength. He then were to go toward Star, but then sensed his body being hold. Hawthorn had grabbed him with one of his tentacles. “Hawthorn, why are you doing this?” Aspen asked. “Don’t you get it, brother?” he asked back. “Thanks, Lord Hawthorn” Star said. “I own you one.” He then tried to pass now, but Aspen, using his strength, was able to swing Hawthorn and make him hit Star. The two then fell on the ground, while Aspen landed on his hooves. He turned to Celestia and said: “Princess Celestia, come here and help me.” But she didn’t say or do anything. Star started to get up, but, even though King Aspen was blocking every single attempt of his to pass through, he wouldn’t give up. At that moment, they heard wings flapping and Celestia landed between Aspen and the two jinchuriki, turning to the former. “Princess Celestia…” Star said. “You better have an excuse for this course of action, Princess Celestia” King Aspen said. “Look, even if would to kill Star and you buy us sometime before the Nine-Tails could come back to life, I doubt the next jinchuriki would be able to control his power to this degree” Celestia said. “Also, imprisoning him in your dungeons would also be useless, as the enemy would come for him. Since we don’t have any idea where this war will go, let’s use all the weapons we have, including the jinchuriki. That’s why I’ll let Star Knight pass.” “Thanks, princess…” Star said, standing up. “Now who is the one making arbitrary decisions, Princess Celestia” King Aspen asked. “Do you think your dear student would agree into this?” “She’s a mother and that was why she agree to hide Star” Celestia replied. “But the General of Chaos’ invasion to the Light Kingdom is full proof of her belief on him.” “You’re all fools” Aspen said. “Where is the proof that Star will succeed.” And, at that moment, Hawthorn advanced toward Aspen, ready to use his horn attack again. “I already told you, your horn attack won’t work against me” King Aspen replied. And he defended with his only horn, starting a fight of strength between the two. Aspen tried to use his hoof again, but Hawthorn bumped it with his and then said: “Listen, brother. You may be king, but, since the beginning, you underestimated my power.” Through that hoof bump, more memories came to Aspen… Years ago, in Thicket… A memorial was being held in Thicket to honor King Alder, who had just lost his life during an excursion in a hostile kingdom. A teenage Hawthorn was walking around the room, trying to find his brother, only to not be able to do so. He approached his sister-in-law, Fyr, who was currently pregnant, and asked: “Hey, where’s my brother, Fyr?” “Just follow the holes in the wall” Fyr replied, indicating one of the side walls of the room, where existed a wall, being the same to the next walls after it. “Talk to him, he really needs it.” Hawthorn nodded and then follow the bunch of walls. He then arrived to the end, at the edge of the castle, where his brother was sit, looking to the horizon. He was clearly crying. Hawthorn approached him and told him: “Brother, don’t be like that. Everything will be alright. After all, from this day on, you’re the king now.” “I know that” Aspen said, with tears crossing his face. “We’re right in the middle of a war with that dreadful kingdom. I will protect this kingdom and all the Enchanted Forest to the very end, just like father wanted.” There was a pause where none of the brothers said a word, and then Aspen said: “Hawthorn, you will go to our frontier at the mountains and work on your Tailed Beast Bomb. You will not be engaging the enemy.” “What do you mean with that?” Hawthorn asked. “If we combine our powers…” “I don’t need your power anymore!” Aspen exclaimed to him. “Even if the enemy invades, you’ll use the Tailed Beast Bomb to get them. Did you listen? You’ll never leave the kingdom again!” In the present… The two brothers retreated and stared each other. “Hawthorn, both you and Star are precious jinchuriki” Aspen said, with a calmer tone. “The two of you are very special to your kingdoms and families. And that’s the reason why I can’t let you two pass. No matter how powerful you two are, don’t forget that the Lord of Chaos and his villains had already captured and sealed all the others.” “Just trust me” Hawthorn appealed. “I and Star can do this. I can guarantee that!” And he advanced again against Aspen. “So be it” Aspen said, intensifying his aura. “Let’s settle this.” And he also advanced. The two brothers hit their horns against each other and started to compete against each other again with full strength. Although Aspen only had one horn, that didn’t prevent him from having any disadvantage. It looked like Aspen would win, but then, with a boost of power, Hawthorn was able to subdue his older brother and then threw him some hooves of distance. “Wow…” Star said, amazed by how Hawthorn was able to defeat Aspen. The king tried to get up when he saw his brother approaching and then saying: “The thing is being jinchuriki is not the only power source. We have something that’s even stronger fundamentaly. I’ll tell you all the details. Remember the words you said to me before I becoming jinchuriki? They keep me strong, no matter what happens and everything fails.” That made Aspen remember what his cousin told him at that night and then he got know of what Hawthorn was talking about. “You mean…” he started. “Are you talking about what I said to you in front of the Waterfall of Truth?” “So now you get it” Hawthorn said, smiling. “Finally! And I was thinking you were our wise king.” At the HQ, Ingrid and White Light were frenetically trying to find a way to fight the infiltrated clones. They had the table full of books and scroll. “There’s nothing helpful in here neither” White Light said, putting aside a scroll. “Don’t you think you should tell this to my sister and Aspen?” Ingrid asked, while putting down a book. “I don’t think so, Your Highness” White Light replied. “They let us in charge, so we have to take care of the situation. Besides, we need to let them take care of the situation with Prince Star Knight.” “I agree, but it was something I had to ask” Ingrid said. After what Hawthorn said, Aspen said: “It’s true that you’re special to me, Hawthorn. You’re my little brother after all. Our connection is stronger than anyone can even imagine. I said that to you. You’re right. But will those words be enough to keep you strong through the battle that you’ll face?” “I’m not fighting just for our kingdom and the Enchanted Forest” Hawthorn replied. “I also fight for you, brother, and also our family. You’re still overprotective. You have to let me go. Don’t lose faith in me. You have to trust in my power. The world is not only full of light and wonders. It also has shadows and pain. What I learned while being a jinchuriki is that you can’t give up. You have to fight and find the light that can guide you. Is that light that can move us through anything.” Star smiled while listenning those words. He could feel that they came from Hawthorn’s heart truly. “That is the reason why I can control Eight-Tails” Hawthor continued. “Star Knight has the same light, but he has more of it. That surprised both Aspen and Celestia. Star said: “Your right about that…” “Then tell me what are those lights you and Hawthorn have spoken of, young prince?” King Aspen asked. “I’m talking about my parents, my sisters and the rest of my family, not mention my friends, Heartbeat, Golden Paladin and all the other Generals who always supported me.” “I see…” Aspen said. “You’re talking about all the ones who are important to you…” “It was thanks to all those lights that I was able to subdue the Nine-Tails when I tried to control him after undoing the seal” Star continued. Celestia listening all that now could understand the real reason for the Lord of Order to order Golden Paladin to seal Nine-Tails inside Star Knight. It was not only to keep him safer, but also so that Star could use his power. He knew that a war would come and that only Star would be able to stop it and that he would be able to control all that power. That made her to say: “King Aspen, don’t harm Star just to delay the enemy’s plans. The General of Chaos will definitely get the Nine-Tails next time and the world will come to an end. Only Star can control the Nine-Tails’ power, just like the Lord of Order thought he would when he commanded to seal him inside Star. We need to let Star go. In that way, he can protect both the Pony World and the Enchanted Forest. I’m going to bet on Star Knight, so what about you?” “I second that” Hawthorn said. “My friend Star Knight is as fool just like me. That’s what you need right know. We don’t care how high the wall is, because we will vanquish no matter what.” It was then that, with a blow with the horn, Aspen threw Hawthorn aside, getting his body surrounded by his aura again, but in full power. “No, with all that power…” Hawthorn said. “Don’t tell me he will…” “You really can be so stubborn sometimes” Celestia said. “But this time you’ll have to pass through me.” Star couldn’t let Princess Celestia get involved, as that was his battle. So he advanced at full speed, going aside the stone wall that was there. “Star Knight, this ends now!” King Aspen exclaimed to the young prince. “Too many have put their faith in me” Star said, while flying. “I can’t let them down!” Aspen appeared in front of him, ready to attack him with the horn. A great crush happened, as the horn hit the stone wall. But then Star appeared, having being able to surpass King Aspen’s attack, much to Hawthorn and Celestia’s astonishment. “I cannot fail!” the young alicorn prince exclaimed. And so Aspen’s aura disappeared and Star said to him: “I just one to say one thing, King Aspen. If I fail, that will be the proof that I didn’t succeed. But I cannot fail now. I’m my father and my mother’s son!They were the ones who gave everything for me to be the savior, so that’s what I’ll be.” King Aspen then chuckled and then said: “My attack was simply a test. I wanted to test your ability and convictions. Now I can see why my son admires you so much. Like I said before, only Heartbeat was able to surpass my speed. So it appears we have a savior after all.” That caused his brother to smile, realizing he had changed is mind. Aspen turned to Star and told him: “Now, go for it.” “Yes, sir!” Star exclaimed. And he advanced, taking flight. At the HQ, Ingrid and White appeared to have found a way to counter the infiltration of the clones. “This seems to be the only way” White Light said. “According to this data, Prince Star Knight can sense hostility while covered by the Nine-Tails’ energy.” “And, because of that, he will be able to notice the clones’ transformation” Ingrid concluded. “And with Star creating clones, we can counter all the Petal Sprouts in all battlefield.” “But if we delay any longer, we may not stand a chance” White Light said. “But there is a problem. This war is to protect the prince. I don’t think King Aspen would approve. What can we do now?” It was then that Ingrid got a telepathic message from Celestia and then said: “Well, I have good news. My sister just told me that’s not the case anymore.” The dawn arrived and the sun started to rise. At Arimaspi’s territory, the General of Chaos was on the Demonic Statue’s hands. But he was not alone. With him, were the six reincarnated jinchuriki who had the eyes just like the dark ponies he used on his attack to the Light Kingdom. “The long night is finally coming to an end” the General said. “And now I have new pawns to control at my will… all jinchuriki.”